All-Star festivities begin with today's Skills Competition

STOCKTON - Andy Contois feels the most important part of the all-star experience is for the fans to have a good time.

Scott Linesburgh

STOCKTON - Andy Contois feels the most important part of the all-star experience is for the fans to have a good time.

But winning something would still be nice.

Contois will join Stockton Thunder teammates Ryan MacMurchy and Brad Farynuk and players from around the league will take part in the ECHL All-Star Game and events, which begin with the Skills Competition at 7 p.m. today at Stockton Arena. The All-Star Game between the American and National Conference squads is at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Contois, who has been selected to his first professional All-Star Game, said he expects the two days to be fun, but also competitive in some ways.

"This is for the fans, and it's great to be involved," said Contois, who will compete in the breakaway challenge and puck control relay.

"But it would be an honor to win one of the events at the Skills Competition, and you always want to win a game. So everyone will go out and try hard. That's what makes it fun."

Farynuk's participation was in doubt until Monday evening when the Springfield (Mass.) Falcons of the American Hockey League told the Thunder he was being sent back to the ECHL franchise. Farynuk will return this afternoon, while most of the other all-stars hit town on Monday.

Forward Travis Morin of the South Carolina Stingrays was one of the first players to get to Stockton and was anxious to get the festivities going.

"It's exciting," Morin said. "You get to meet a lot of different people around the league and this is always fun for everyone."

Las Vegas Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan, who will lead the National Conference team, said the players like a chance to get to know their rivals and compete in different situations.

"It's definitely one of the best things about the All-Star Game," Gulutzan said. "You get to know the guys you are usually competing against on a different level, and you try to give the fans a good time."

First up are the skill competitions.

The league tries to create a fan-friendly atmosphere by removing the glass along the sides of the rink, although it will stay in place behind the goals for safety reasons. The crowd can interact with the players as they compete in events such as the fastest skater, hardest shot, rapid fire and breakaway, which pits the goalies against advancing players in a one-one matchup and is usually the most popular competition.

Every skater participates in the breakaway. MacMurchy also is scheduled to take part in the rapid fire, in which two players fire shots at the goalie, and Farynuk will take part in the hardest shot contest. This is the simplest of competitions - just blast the puck with a powerful slap shot.

"That's always a fun one," said Texas Wildcatters coach Malcolm Cameron, who is coaching the American Conference. "People enjoy it."

Fastest skater also is easy to define, and the puck control events favor the best stick handlers.

"I think I can do pretty well," Contois said. "And you want to do well in front of your own fans."

The All-Star Game usually is high-scoring. The goalies aren't automatically conceding it has to be that way, but they are realistic that without heavy checking and limited defense, it's tough to keep the scores down.

"You know there will be a lot of scoring opportunities, but you still do everything you can to stop it," Florida Everblades goalie Justin Peters said. "You want to win, but you also want to enjoy the whole experience."

MacMurchy said he does plan to enjoy it, because you never know when you'll be an all-star again.

"The main thing for me is that this is such an honor," MacMurchy said. "It doesn't happen every day.